Self-feeding target-trap



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H W TIGHENOR SELF FEEDING TARGET TRAP.

Ji 6 ea" 5: V 0] 2/6 afar.

| HAL u m new (No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 2.

HfW. TIOHENOR. SELF FEEDING TARGET TRAP.

' Patented May 8, 1894.

T Jul/claim:

(No Model) 3 SheetSSheet 3.

H. W. T IG HENOR." SELF FEEDING TARGET TRAP- I Patented May's, 1894.

- UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT W. TIoHnNoR, or IRVINGTON, NEW JERSEY.

SELF-FEEDING TARGET-TRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 519,512, dated May 8, 1894- Application filed November 25,1893. Serial No. 491,975- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, HERBERT W. TICHENOR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Irvington, Essex county, New Jersey, have inyented certain new and useful Improvements 1n Automatic Self-Feeding Target-Traps, fully described and represented in the followng specification and the accompanying drawlngs, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to that class of target-traps or throwers in which an arm is retracted in/opposition to spring tension,and is released after being charged with a target; and the invention consists part1 y,in the means tor setting and releasing the arm, and partly 1n means for automatically feeding the targets to a clamp upon the arm during its retraction. 1

In the present construction the arm is pivoted upon a spindle, and a crank pin is projected from the opposite side of the spindle to connect the arm with a tension spring. The arm is arranged to make a complete rotation in the same direction about the spindle, at each actuation, the arm rotating first .about one hundred and eighty degrees in which position it is held by a catch until it is discharged. This is effectedby releasing the arm which then rotates in the same direction through the remainder of the circle. As .the arm is rotated about the spindle its movement for one half a revolution is in opposition to the tension of thespring; while the remainder of the movement is efieoted by the contraction of the spring; and the arm may thus be readily set for automatic operation, if its movement during retraction be arrested by a suitable stop just after it has passed the central position, in which the crank is almost upon its dead centerin relation to the spring.

The withdrawal of the stop permits the. tension of the spring to continue therotationof the arm in the same directionin which it was retracted, and thus extends the arm with the desired velocity to discharge'the target.

. In the present invention the spindle is connected by suitable gearing with a lever, which f1s provided'with a stop adapted to arrest the arm when it has been retracted alittle more than onehundred and eighty degrees, and the crank pin has passed its dead center. The

to release one target at a time.

signal to the operator through the'shock conveyed by the cord; and he is thus enabled to set the arm for operation and to release the same forits discharge by the successive movementsof thesame cord.

The apparatus is furnished with a hopper supplied with a series of targets, and the arm is furnished with a clamp which is automatically opened as it passes beneath the hopper,

to receive one of the targets. provided with oscillating dogs which are actuated, by a connection/t0 the settling lover, The hopper is curved upwardly and laterally to relieve the oscillating dogs from the greater part of the weight in the series of targets. Y The construction will be understood by reference to the-annexed drawings, in which' Figure 1' is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 a plan of the apparatus with the throwing arm extended. Fig.3 is a plan of the magazine in section on line :12, 0c,-in Fig. 5. Fig. 4 is a view, upon the inner end, of one of the oscillating dogs with its pivot. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of the magazine and hopper, with the clamp beneath the same, and a target in its jaws. Fig. 6 is a plan of the clamp as opened by contact with the stop beneath the magazine. connection between the pinion and spindle in section through the plane of the pinion; andFig. 8 is a plan of the apparatus'with the magazine represented merely by a dotted circle t, and the clamp in its first position be neath the same. Y

The hopper is 9 Fig. 7 is a plan of the pawl a is a frame mounted upontheusualstand Y b whichghascircular adjustmentslin horizontal' and vertical planes.

-' The'spindle c is pivoted in bearing 0 upon the front end of the frame, and a shatt'd is the segment d, for a purpose that will appear The pawl is pivoted within the pinlater on. ion, and is provided with an arm or lugg adapted to engage a cam or guide g which is secured adjustably at the top of the bearing 0' by ascrew h. The throwing arm 2' is attached to the spindle and formed at its rear end with the spring controlled crank m. A settinglever q is attached to the shaft (1 and" provided with acordq to pull the same, the arm hein g rotated with the spindle duringthe first halt of its rotation by the oscillation of the toothed segment, when the setting-lever is moved in-' the direction of'the arrow q (See Fig. 2.) To the crank m a spirally coiled spring I0 is secured by a loop, while the other end of the spring is secured by a tightening screw and'nut n to an ear n upon the rear end 0t theframe. Thetension of the spring'holds th'ecrank normally in a line drawn between; the spindle andthelug n, and the-rotation of the artnand crank, with the spindle, operates first to extend the spring and then to relax the same as it passes the dead center; the crank passing a little beyond itsdeadcenter when the armis locked, asindicated by the dottedilinesl and M in Fig. 8; and the spring then exerting its maximum tension.

Thetoothed segment d is provided with'a segmental ratchet 10, and a pawl r is pivoted adjacent to the rack and provided with a teeth which ispressecl upon opposite sidesby aspring sto hold thepa-wl into engagement with the rack or disengagement from the The opposite endsot the ratchet p same. i areprovided respectively with ahook r and awprojection 19 adapted respectively to throw the pawl into and out of engagement with the rack.

crank m has passed itsdead" center. .tension of thespring then holds the seat firmly against the lug A, such tension preventingthe' further movement of thesetting lever except'by alittl'e backward movement ofithearm i.

seatA', indicates to'the operator that thearm is set and locked; but sufiicient force, when i applied to thecord, continues the movement of. thesegment, which first pushes-the arm 2' a little backward and then moves the lug pasttheseat A g which releases the arm from its stop and permits the spring Zcto throw The pinion, as shown in Fig. 7, is

closely together. suitable distance apart to engage therupper The resistance; imparted to the cord'q bythesprin'g pressureofthe armor its it forward with the target in the desired manner. To prevent theseat from sliding past the edge of the lug, under the tension of the spring 7a a pin a is projected from'the seat upon the forward side of the lug, wh1ch resists the tension of the spring m; but does not prevent the lug from sliding upon the seatin operator through the signalwhich is imparted by the concussion of the seat A withthe lug A, when the crank arm m is carried violently past itsdead center by the spring 7c'. I

The magaziueis formed, as shown in Figs.

3 and 5, with a ring it at thebase,upon which the oscillating dogs to, uare pivoted, andprojected withinthe ring. Asheet metal hopper t is curved upwardly and laterally from the ring and is shown in Fig. 5 filled with the targets T, the weight of the targets resting in 1 great part upon the curved side of the hopper,

and thus relieving the dogs from a portion of the load. I

The magazine is supported by a carrier rod C having its'lower end bent at right anglesto its body, such lower end and body being fitted respectively to lugs D and E. upon llllefltllle a and the ring 15.. The lugs areprovided with setscrews z, and the form of the. carrier permitsthe magazine to be adjusted: vertically and laterallyinto the required position over the clamp upon the throwing arm, to fit the latter when moved in setting the same;

Several of the targets within the ring tare shown in section, of the usual form, with a Hat marginal collar T "atthe base and a convex hollow body by which the targets'nest The dogs a andu/ are-at a and lowersides of thecollar T, and both dogs are shown: projected partlyovcr theopposite sides of the collar in Fig; 5,.as would bethe case when the lowervdog is being retracted,-to drop the target, and the upper dog is entering the magazine to sustainth'e succee'ding target.

Eachof the dogsis'provided with anactuatin'garnr 11 which is fitted to a notch u in? a collar wwhich'encircles the ring. The collar issupported upon lugs w upon the ring and held movably thereon by screwsw throughslatted openings, and when oscillated actuates all the 'dogs simultaneously. The

collar is connected withthe setting arm g; by

a link g which is pivoted at one end to the segmentalrack p, and slotted atthe other end The" slot. permits the rack to-movewithout aifectingthe ring until thesettingarm is under the magazine, as indicated by the full lines in Fig; 8.

ICC

The end of the arm is provided with a clamp consistingof jawsJ and J attached to a common pivot atthe end of the arm, and

provided with studs J to engage the edge of the target T. Arms j are projected in oppo site directions from the jaws, at the pivot, and two llnks k are pivoted to the said arms and to one another, and connected with a spring m. The spring m is connected with a pin upon the throwing arm and may bemade adustable by a screw and jam nuts. The jaws are held normally apart by a stop y, and a stud 1 is projected downward from the jaw J to engage a stop g upon the carrier red O. The clamp is held by the spring m, normally, 1n the position shown in Fig. 2, with the jaw J in a line with the throwing arm i; but the stop 1 is so adjusted that when the clamp as in Fig. 8, is just beneath the magazine, it arrests the motion of the jaw J (by contact with the stud 3 and draws the jaws apart into the position shown in Fig. 6 by the altered action of the links is upon the armsj.

The jaws are thus held temporarily beneath the magazine to receive the target; while the.

arm is advanced to its locked position (indicated by the dotted lines I and M) by the continued movement of the setting lever. Such continued movement actuates the link (1 and drops the lowest target from the maga-- zine upon the jaws J, J, while the studs J are suiiiciently separated to admit the same. The movement of the arm thereafte'r draws the stud g away from the stop L1 and percure the arm from flying violently backward in case the pull cord is broken by accident;

and the movement of the segment d, which is necessary to move the arm from the magazine into contact with .the lug A, brings the projection r againstthe inner side of the pawl, and disengages it from the rackteeth;

in which position it is held by the spring 8.

during the reverse movement of the setting lever. During the retraction of the setting arm the pawl e retains its engagement with the spindle 0 until the spring controlled crank on has moved past its dead center, after which the spindle and the throwing arm are entirely free to operate under. the control of the spring is; and the pinionfis free to resume its initial position, shown in Fig. 2, when the cord q is relaxed, as shown in the same figure. Such release of the pawl e is effected by the operation of the cam g; the pawl and the pinion being shown in vfull lines in the posi;

tion corresponding to that of the arm a in" Fig. 8, and the axial line of the arm being indicated'by the dotted line a in Fig. 7;

The position of the pawl e when retracted by the cam is indicated in dotted lines in Fig.

'7, which position is assumed just before the throwing arm is setin contact with the lug A.

bearin n to which the s rin it is secured.

b p D By this construction the frame may be made of the usual flat plate, ribbed at the top to secure the necessary strength, and all the parts are thus arranged in a line upon the top, and the whole device is rendered exceedingly compact and cheap to construct.

- The essential novelty in this invention consists in the combination with the pivoted throwing arm and a spring for extending the same, of a setting lever and gearing adapted to set and release the arm by successive movements of the lever.

It is immaterial whether both the movements of the lever be in the same direction, as indicated in the drawings, as it is obvious that the lug A and seat A may be disengaged by a movement in either direction of the segment to which the lug -A is attached, such movement operating in either case to slide the lug out of contact with the seat A upon thethrowing'arm.

By my invention the operator is enabled to set and discharge the throwing arm by'means of a single cord and lever and the construction and operation of the device are thus simplified.

Having thus set forth the nature of my in vention, what I claim herein is' 1. In a target thrower, the combination, with a pivoted throwing arm arranged to make a complete rotation about its pivot at each actuation, of a crank-pin with spring extending the arm, and, a setting lever and gearing adapted to set and release the throwing arm by successive movements of the setting lever,

the partsbeing arranged and operated substantially as herein set forth. Q

2. In a target thrower, having a pivoted throwing arm arranged to make a complete rotation at each actuation, the combination, with the spindle c, of a throwing arm pivoted thereon, a crank and spring extending the throwing arm, a lever with pull cord and gearing rotating thespindle to retract the throw-.

ing arm, and a stop movable with the lever for setting the throwing arm-when retracted, the parts being arranged and operated substantially as herein set forth.

3. In atarget thrower having a pivoted throwingarm arranged to make a complete rotation at each actuation, the combination, with the spindle c, of a throwingarm pivoted thereon, a crank and spring'extending the throwing arm, a lever with pull cordand gear-,

ing rotating the spindle to retract the throw ing arm against the tension of the spring, and

a stop to arrest and set the arm at the 'maximum tension of the spring, the parts being arranged and-operated substantially as herein set forth.. I 1 g 4. In a target thrower having a pivoted throwing arm arranged to make a complete rotation at eachv actuation, the combination,

with the spindle c, of a throwing arm pivoted thereon, a crank and spring extending the throwing arm, a lever with pull cord and gearing rotating the spindle to retract the throwing arm againstthe tension of the spring, and a stop movable with the lever arresting the throwing arm when retracted, and releasing the throwing arm upon the further movement of the setting lever the parts being arranged and operated substantially as set forth;

5. In a target thrower having a throwing arm adapted to make a complete rotation at each actuation, the combination, with the spindle c, of the throwing arm t" pivoted thereon and provided with a target clamp, the crank m and spring is extending such arm, the pinionfconnected with the spindle by a pawl, a toothed segment and setting lever rotating the pinion, and a stop arresting the arm when retracted, the parts being arranged and operated as herein set forth.

6. Ina target thrower having a throwing arm adapted to make a complete rotation at each actuation, the combination, with the spindle c, of the throwing arm "i pivoted thereon and provided with a target clamp, the crank m and spring 70' to extend such arm, the pinionfconnected with the spindle bya pawl, a toothed segment and setting lever for rotating the pinion, a safety pawl for holding the arm during retraction, and a stop for arresting the arm when retracted, the whole arranged and operated substantially as herein set forth.

7. In a target thrower, the combination,

with a spindle, of a throwing arm pivoted thereon, a spring extending said arm, a pin- 1on connected with the spindle by a pawl, a

toothed segment and setting lever rotating the pinion, a segmental ratchet and safety pawl holding the arm during retraction, means holding the pawl in an operative and inoperative position, and projections at opposite ends of the segmental ratchet shifting the pawl alternately into such positions, and a stoparresting the throwing arm when fully retracted, as herein set forth.

8. Ina self-feeding target thrower having a pivoted throwing arm arranged to make a complete rotation about its pivot at each actuation, the combination, with a throwing'arm carrying a target clamp at its outer end, of means setting and releasing the arm, a target magazine supported over the path of the clamp, dogs projecting through the sides of the magazine and mechanism for actuating the same, and the hopper 16 extending vertically and laterally from the magazine in a curve, the whole arranged and operated as herein set forth.

9. In a self-feeding target thrower having a pivoted throwing arm arranged to make a complete rotation about its pivot at each actuation, the combination, with a throwing arm carrying a target clamp at its outer end, of means retracting the arm, a target magazine supported over the path of the clamp, dogs projected through the sides of the magazine, means connected with the retracting mechanism actuating such dogs, means arresting the arm when retracted, and means releasing the arm, the whole arranged and operated as herein set forth.

10. In aself-feeding targetthrower, the combination, with a throwing arm arranged to make a complete rotation about its pivot at each actuation, of a clamp having jaws pivoted upon the arm, a spring or springs having an unequal tension upon the jaws, a target magazine supported over thepath of the clamp, anda stop temporarily checking one of the jaws and thereby opening the clamp beneath the magazine, the parts being arranged and operated substantially as herein set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HERBERT W. TICHENOR. Witnesses:

LEVI I. DARBY, T. S. CRANE. 

